2001 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
This article recaps the 2001 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season.
Season summary
2001 was the end of the 500 cc era in Grand Prix motorcycle racing; in 2002 the premier class would be renamed MotoGP and dominated by 4-stroke 990 cc machines. However, 2001 was the beginning of another era, that of Valentino Rossi's run of championships in the top class. His learning year past him, he won 11 races in 2001, far outdistancing his nearest competitor, Max Biaggi. Rossi and Biaggi began the season with a controversial incident at Suzuka, where Biaggi seemed to have tried to push Rossi into the dirt at 150 mph and Rossi responded two laps later with an aggressive pass and an extended middle finger. Rossi would win that race and sew-up the championship with two rounds to go.
The 500 cc Rookie of the Year award went to Shinya Nakano.[1]
As of 2015, it was the last year where a single constructor (Honda) won the championship in all three categories.
2001 Grand Prix season calendar
Standings
Scoring system
Points were awarded to the top fifteen finishers. Rider had to finish the race to earn points.
Position |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
6th |
7th |
8th |
9th |
10th |
11th |
12th |
13th |
14th |
15th |
Points |
25 |
20 |
16 |
13 |
11 |
10 |
9 |
8 |
7 |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
Riders' standings
500cc
Results as follows[2][3]
|
Colour | Result |
Gold | Winner |
Silver | 2nd place |
Bronze | 3rd place |
Green | Points finish |
Blue | Non-points finish |
Non-classified finish (NC) |
Purple | Retired (Ret) |
Red | Did not qualify (DNQ) |
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) |
Black | Disqualified (DSQ) |
White | Did not start (DNS) |
Withdrew (WD) |
Race cancelled (C) |
Blank |
Did not participate (DNP) |
Excluded (EX) |
Bold – Pole position Italics – Fastest lap |
250cc
Result as follows[4][5]
|
Colour | Result |
Gold | Winner |
Silver | 2nd place |
Bronze | 3rd place |
Green | Points finish |
Blue | Non-points finish |
Non-classified finish (NC) |
Purple | Retired (Ret) |
Red | Did not qualify (DNQ) |
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) |
Black | Disqualified (DSQ) |
White | Did not start (DNS) |
Withdrew (WD) |
Race cancelled (C) |
Blank |
Did not participate (DNP) |
Excluded (EX) |
Bold – Pole position Italics – Fastest lap |
125cc
Result as follows[6][7]
|
Colour | Result |
Gold | Winner |
Silver | 2nd place |
Bronze | 3rd place |
Green | Points finish |
Blue | Non-points finish |
Non-classified finish (NC) |
Purple | Retired (Ret) |
Red | Did not qualify (DNQ) |
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) |
Black | Disqualified (DSQ) |
White | Did not start (DNS) |
Withdrew (WD) |
Race cancelled (C) |
Blank |
Did not participate (DNP) |
Excluded (EX) |
Bold – Pole position Italics – Fastest lap |
Manufacturers' standings
500cc
250cc
125cc
Participants
500cc participants
Team |
Constructor |
Motorcycle |
No |
Rider |
Rounds |
Telefónica Movistar Suzuki |
Suzuki |
Suzuki RGV500 (XRB1) |
1 |
Kenny Roberts, Jr. |
All |
15 |
Sete Gibernau |
All |
33 |
Akira Ryo |
1 |
64 |
Yukio Kagayama |
13 |
Marlboro Yamaha Team |
Yamaha |
Yamaha YZR500 (OWL6) |
3 |
Max Biaggi |
All |
7 |
Carlos Checa |
1, 3–16 |
West Honda Pons |
Honda |
Honda NSR500 |
4 |
Alex Barros |
All |
65 |
Loris Capirossi |
All |
Red Bull Yamaha WCM |
Yamaha |
Yamaha YZR500 |
5 |
Garry McCoy |
1–4, 6–7, 9–16 |
41 |
Noriyuki Haga |
All |
24 |
Jason Vincent |
8 |
Antena 3 Yamaha d'Antin |
Yamaha |
Yamaha YZR500 |
6 |
Norifumi Abe |
All |
10 |
José Luis Cardoso |
All |
Shell Advance Honda |
Honda |
Honda NSR500 |
8 |
Chris Walker |
1–8 |
9 |
Leon Haslam |
9–16 |
Honda NSR500V |
1–4, 6–8 |
18 |
Brendan Clarke |
9–16 |
Repsol YPF Honda Team |
Honda |
Honda NSR500 |
11 |
Tohru Ukawa |
All |
28 |
Àlex Crivillé |
All |
Arie Molenaar Racing |
Honda |
Honda NSR500V |
12 |
Haruchika Aoki |
1–3, 5–16 |
32 |
Jarno Janssen |
4 |
Dee Cee Jeans Racing |
Honda |
Honda NSR500V |
14 |
Marcus Payten |
1 |
21 |
Barry Veneman |
1–5, 7–16 |
14 |
Anthony West |
2–16 |
Sabre Sport |
Sabre |
Sabre V4 |
16 |
Johan Stigefelt |
1–15 |
Proton Team KR |
Proton KR |
Proton KR3 |
17 |
Jurgen van den Goorbergh |
All |
80 |
Kurtis Roberts |
15 |
Gauloises Yamaha Tech 3 |
Yamaha |
Yamaha YZR500 |
19 |
Olivier Jacque |
1–4, 6–16 |
56 |
Shinya Nakano |
All |
Pulse GP |
Pulse |
Pulse 500 |
24 |
Jason Vincent |
1–7, 9 |
68 |
Mark Willis |
1–8 |
Paton Grand Prix Slovnaft-Paton Grand Prix |
Paton |
Paton PG500RC |
25 |
Shaun Geronimi |
10 |
26 |
Vladimir Častka |
3, 5 |
27 |
Sébastien Gimbert |
8 |
By Queroseno Racing |
Honda |
Honda NSR500V |
37 |
Miguel Tey |
12 |
Nastro Azzurro Honda |
Honda |
Honda NSR500 |
46 |
Valentino Rossi |
All |
|
Key |
Regular Rider |
Wildcard Rider |
Replacement Rider |
|
250cc participants
Team |
Constructor |
No |
Rider |
Rounds |
MS Aprilia Racing |
Aprilia |
5 |
Marco Melandri |
All |
31 |
Tetsuya Harada |
All |
34 |
Marcellino Lucchi |
3, 5 |
Valência Circuit - Aspar Team |
Aprilia |
6 |
Álex Debón |
All |
10 |
Fonsi Nieto |
All |
Telefónica MoviStar Honda |
Honda |
7 |
Emilio Alzamora |
All |
74 |
Daijiro Kato |
All |
Petronas Sprinta Yamaha TVK |
Yamaha |
8 |
Naoki Matsudo |
All |
18 |
Shahrol Yuzy |
All |
Yamaha Kurz (rd 1-9) Dark Dog Yamaha Kurz (rd 10-16) |
Yamaha |
9 |
Sebastián Porto |
All |
23 |
Cesar Barros |
All |
Aprilia Grand Prix |
Aprilia |
11 |
Riccardo Chiarello |
1-2, 4-16 |
99 |
Jeremy McWilliams |
1-5 |
MS Aprilia Racing (Germany) |
Aprilia |
12 |
Klaus Nöhles |
1-12 |
55 |
Diego Giugovaz |
13-16 |
99 |
Jeremy McWilliams |
6-16 |
Shell Advance Honda |
Honda |
14 |
Katja Poensgen |
11-16 |
MS Eros Ramazzotti Racing |
Aprilia |
15 |
Roberto Locatelli |
All |
21 |
Franco Battaini |
All |
By Queroseno Racing Team |
Honda |
26 |
Iván Silva |
2 |
39 |
David Tomás |
3-16 |
85 |
Rafael Da Cunha |
16 |
Antena 3 Yamaha d'Antin |
Yamaha |
19 |
Julien Allemand |
1-4 |
22 |
José David de Gea |
All |
36 |
Luis Costa |
5-16 |
PR2 Metrored / PR2 - Damas |
Aprilia |
20 |
Jerónimo Vidal |
1-15 |
Honda |
41 |
Damaso Nacher |
3, 11-12, 16 |
QUB Team Optimum |
Yamaha |
24 |
Jason Vincent |
10-16 |
Tecmas Racing |
Honda |
25 |
Vincent Philippe |
9 |
Edo Racing |
Yamaha |
55 |
Diego Giugovaz |
1-5, 7-9 |
27 |
Shaun Geronimi |
15-16 |
46 |
Taro Sekiguchi |
6, 10-14 |
80 |
Vladimir Častka |
10 |
Campetella Racing |
Aprilia |
37 |
Luca Boscoscuro |
All |
57 |
Lorenzo Lanzi |
All |
Kolmer Racing Team |
Yamaha |
38 |
Álvaro Molina |
3, 6, 12 |
BRT Ismael Bonilla |
Honda |
39 |
Ismael Bonilla |
3 |
Team Fomma |
Honda |
42 |
David Checa |
All |
Construcciones CM |
Honda |
43 |
Isaac Martin |
12 |
Safilo Oxydo Race |
Aprilia |
44 |
Roberto Rolfo |
All |
FCC-TSR |
Honda |
45 |
Stuart Edwards |
2-11 |
TSR-Honda |
1 |
47 |
Tekkyu Kayo |
1 |
Fujitsu Siemens |
Yamaha |
45 |
Stuart Edwards |
12-16 |
Club Ventis |
Yamaha |
46 |
Taro Sekiguchi |
1 |
Team Kotake RSC |
Honda |
48 |
Shinichi Nakatomi |
1 |
Hitman RC Koshien Yamaha |
Yamaha |
49 |
Choujun Kameya |
1 |
Équipe de France - Scrab GP |
Aprilia |
50 |
Sylvain Guintoli |
All |
81 |
Randy de Puniet |
All |
Privest Yamaha d'Antin |
Yamaha |
51 |
Jonathan Van Vuuren |
2 |
Équipe de France |
Honda |
52 |
Guillaume Dietrich |
4 |
64 |
Hugo Marchand |
4 |
Ouvrard Racing Team |
Yamaha |
53 |
Tom Ouvrard |
4 |
Bentin Motorsport |
Honda |
54 |
Herve Mora |
4 |
Fouloi Racing Team |
Yamaha |
56 |
David Fouloi |
4 |
Right Track Racing |
Honda |
58 |
Shane Norval |
8 |
Team Jackson |
Honda |
59 |
Gary Jackson |
8 |
Car Centre Nijmegen |
Honda |
60 |
Gert Pieper |
7 |
Performance Racing |
Yamaha |
61 |
Jarno Boesveld |
7 |
Cruise America Grand Prix Racing |
Honda |
62 |
Jason Di Salvo |
7-8, 10 |
M.R.T.T. Hugen Racing |
Honda |
63 |
Arnold Litjens |
7 |
Dark Dog Racing Factory (rd 1-9) Racing Factory (rd 10-16) |
Aprilia |
66 |
Alex Hofmann |
All |
98 |
Katja Pönsgen |
1-9 |
EPS Racing |
Yamaha |
67 |
Michael Herzber |
8 |
Monster Mob |
Honda |
68 |
Stuart Easton |
8 |
TZM Sport |
Honda |
70 |
José Estrela |
11 |
Team Motorsport Racing |
Honda |
71 |
Javier Díaz |
11 |
PS Racing |
Aprilia |
72 |
Michael Garcia |
11-12 |
Freundenberg Racing Team |
Yamaha |
75 |
Dirk Heidolf |
9 |
Kiefer Castrol Honda Racing |
Honda |
76 |
Christian Gemmel |
9 |
77 |
Marcel Schneider |
9 |
ADAC Sachsen |
Honda |
78 |
Max Neukirchner |
9 |
MSC Schleizer Dreieck |
Honda |
79 |
Norman Rank |
10 |
Road Racing Team Voit |
Honda |
82 |
Henrik Voit |
10 |
Biro Racing Team |
Honda |
83 |
Gabor Rizmayer |
10, 12 |
Vaz Yamaha d'Antin |
Yamaha |
84 |
Cristiano Vieira |
16 |
Team Harc-Pro |
Honda |
87 |
Hiroshi Aoyama |
1 |
92 |
13 |
SP Tadao Racing Team |
Yamaha |
88 |
Nobuyuki Ohsaki |
13 |
Motorex Daytona |
Yamaha |
89 |
Osamu Miyazaki |
13 |
Endurance |
Honda |
90 |
Daisaku Sakai |
13 |
Morino Kumasan Miztec. RT |
Yamaha |
91 |
Takayuki Onodera |
13 |
Impact Racing |
Yamaha |
93 |
Earl Lynch |
14 |
RGV Spares |
Yamaha |
94 |
Terry Carter |
14 |
97 |
Josh Brookes |
14 |
Allect Racing |
Honda |
95 |
Shane Smith |
14 |
Turramurra Cyclery Racing |
Yamaha |
96 |
Mark Rowling |
14 |
|
Key |
Regular Rider |
Wildcard Rider |
Replacement Rider |
|
125cc participants
|
Key |
Regular Rider |
Wildcard Rider |
Replacement Rider |
|
'
References